On July 24, I headed to House of Blues to see the Chicago suburbs-based post-grunge band Bur perform their original music. Their set, an amorphous wall of sound, was amazingly disorienting and engaging. Under the purple lights, Bur's music felt more like a shatteringly loud dream than your average lyric-heavy rock does. As I came to learn from frontman Jeremy Kush, that's what shoegaze is all about. I had the opportunity to interview him to learn more about this exciting local band.
EM: Thanks for letting me interview you, Jeremy!
JK: No problem! Thank you for the opportunity.
EM: So you are the lead singer and rhythmic guitar player of Bur. How would you describe your band's music to people?
JK: Shoegaze rock. A lot of noise and quiet vocals. People say we sound like Sonic Youth and the Pixies.
EM: So would you consider Sonic Youth and the Pixies to be some of your influences? Are there any other groups that inspire you guys?
JK: Yes. I like The Beatles and Nirvana a lot; also My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Our lead guitar player, Eric, is influenced by The Smiths and Radiohead.
EM: All of those are fantastic groups. Can you describe your creative process for me?
JK: I'll usually just write a riff and a basic vocal melody and bring it to the group and let them add whatever they want to it. I just write the rough drafts pretty much.
EM: I'm sure that helps contribute to Bur's dynamic sound. Is there anything outside of music that helps you refresh your creativity?
JK: Just listening to music, honestly. Also being with the band outside of practice and recording settings helps because it just creates a more intimate atmosphere when creating music.
EM: How did you all meet and then form your band?
JK: I knew Eric from high school and we would jam once in a while; nothing serious. Then I started writing songs and wanting to play them with a band so Eric was the first person I asked to join. I knew Justin, our drummer, from the skate park, so I asked him. Then I asked our current bass player, Preston, to play for us because he's a family friend and I knew he could play.
EM: Sounds like things worked out well. Are you in the middle of any new projects right now?
JK: Yes! We're in the process of recording our first LP called Saf. It should be out by October.
EM: How exciting! Is there a meaning behind the title?
JK: Yes, he's a kid I was friends with in high school that has autism and I thought his name was cool. I love the guy, so I just named it after him.
EM: Oh wow, that's really personal and special. Is there an image you think Bur's music conveys? Do you want the listeners to feel a certain emotion when they hear your work?
JK: Hm, not too sure. Just whatever they want to feel. We really just try to write music we all like and if others like it that's even better, but we don't really try to bring a specific feeling to anyone.
EM: Leaving things open for interpretation! Speaking of audiences, do you have any gigs soon?
JK: Yes, we have one at a street fest in Chicago on August 13th and one at Reggie's Rock Club on August 21st.
EM: I can't wait. Lastly, what are your plans for the future?
JK: Not too sure. Just kind of taking it one day at a time. We'd like to get on a label at some point, but I think for now, we just want to put out our record.
Bur's debut album, Saf, drops in October 2016. You can follow the band on Facebook (@burtheband) and SoundCloud (http://www.soundcloud.com/burtheband).
